European Armaments Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his European Union counterparts in respect of the markets which the European arms procurement agency will endeavour to satisfy; and if he will make a statement. [19446]

Ministers and officials of my Department have played a full part in discussions, within the forum of the Western European Armaments Group, on the concept and role of a European armaments agency. These discussions continue.

Discussions on a European armaments agency continue. Formal parliamentary approval would not be necessary if the UK were to become a member of such an agency, but Parliament will, of course, be kept informed of developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the United Kingdom's proposed joining of the European arms procurement agency will affect the policy of(a) subsidiarity in defence and (b) the resources available for diversification of defence industries. [19443]

Discussions on a European armaments agency continue. If the UK became a member, this would not affect the principle that decisions on armaments procurement for the UK armed forces are the preserve of Her Majesty's Government. It is not envisaged that UK membership of a European armaments agency would have any effect upon the resources available for diversification of defence industries.